Cathead Bay Vacation Properties

SAVE up to 20% on select weeks in summer

2010-04-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

...if booked before April 15.That's right! We're offering some significant discounts on weeks in June, July and August. The only catch is that, well, to catch the deal, you're going to have to confirm the booking by April 15. What's involved in confirming you ask? Just a deposit of $500.00 and a signed rental agreement in our hands before next weekend.

Cathead Cove that sleeps 8 has a 20% reduction in the regular base rental rate for the week for the following weeks:

Saturday, June 26 to July 3 (20%)

Saturday, July 31 to August 7 (20%)

Or, a 10% price reduction on the base rental rate for
Saturday, August 14 to August 21 (10%)
Saturday, August 28 to September 3 (10%)

If something interests you, simply click on the link and send us an email with your contact information: name, address and email and we'll dash off a quotation and rental agreement within minutes!

If the 4 bedroom Cathead Cove isn't roomy enough, check out our deals in Cathead Pointe.

Cathead Pointe is a spacious rambling home that sleeps 10, with 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, a full dining room, plus a sauna! Like Cathead Cove, Pointe is right on the beach. A 20% reduction in the base rental rate is available for the following weeks:

Saturday, June 26 to July 3 (20%)

Saturday, August 28 to September 3 (20%)

Or, a 10% rental rate reduction is available:

Saturday, August 7 to August 14 (10%)

Saturday, August 14 to August 21 (10%)

Just click on the link that you are interested in, send us a quick email that contains your name, address, and the number in your party, and we'll do the rest!

It's now or never!

2009-06-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

So, just how quickly can you pack? How about right now?

Check out Cathead Cove (left) and Cathead Pointe (below). Both properties comfortably accommodate from 2 to 8 guests, and both are situated on the white sandy beach in Cathead Bay just 35 miles north of Traverse City in Leelanau County.

Both offer a family a superb spot for a week's vacation in late June. Both have immediate water access, and privacy and the aquamarine waters of Cathead Bay are just 20 steps from your private deck.

We currently have both homes open for the period Saturday June 20th through Saturday June 27th, 2009. And get this..... the base rental rate for either home for the whole week is only $2000.00 (cleaning charge and 6% tax additional)...so, what are you waiting for? Mention this Super Saver promotion in your contact in order to get this very deeply discounted rate.

Even procrastinators are rewarded!

2009-05-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

Special close-in deals!
Here, at Cathead Bay, even the procrastinators win. Not that we're encouraging folks to wait until the last minute to make holiday plans, but, sometimes it just happens that way. So, how quickly can you pack?

Here are some fantastic deals just around the corner. Click on the link, and we will dash off a quotation and Rental Agreement, that within minutes can secure you a wonderful beachfront cottage for the week beginning Saturday June 6th until Saturday June 13th, 2009.

Come on. It doesn't get much better than this! Request rental information for these not-to-be-beat promotions today.

Cat's Meow
Cozy and cute, yet roomy enough for 4. What are you waiting for? Perhaps this never before offered, all-inclusive rate of $1,000.00 for:
Saturday June 6 to Saturday June 13.

Cathead Cove
Accommodations for 8. Get an all-inclusive rate of $1,750.00 for:
Saturday June 6 to Saturday June 13.

Cathead Pointe
Large enough for a party of 10 with plenty of open space to roam.

Get an all-inclusive rate of $2,200.00 for:
Saturday May 30 to Saturday June 6.

These promotions apply to a one week stay in for the week listed above only so book today.

Wine time...

2009-04-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association for the following information!

Spring Sip & Savor - Shake off the Winter Blues! Join us on May 2nd & 3rd 2009, for the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association's annual Spring Sip & Savor wine trail event.

As our vineyards wake to the sun & warmth of May, we kick off the season with a brunch-themed wine and food pairing at each of the 17 wineries on the wine trail.To get things started right we invite you to attend a complimentary Saturday morning coffee mixer at the Silver Tree Deli in Suttons Bay featuring premium blends from our local roasters. For added fun, event participants are encouraged to keep their pajamas on when they set out in the morning and try to win one of the prizes that many of the wineries will be offering.

The grand prize consists of two nights lodging at The Homestead in Glen Arbor during any season of the year (subject to availability), dinner for two with appetizers and desert at La Becasse in Maple City, Sunday brunch for two at the Bluebird in Leland, a wood fire pizza from Black Star Farms, perfect for lunch or light meal out on the trail and a fabulous gift basket filled with goodies.

Christopher Lopez, Manager at Black Star Farms adds: "How often have you sat down for breakfast in your pajamas and wondered, what wine goes best with eggs and bacon? My guess is not often enough. So come on in and show off your best or worst, set of pajamas and find your pairing. Because really, what goes better together than wine and pajamas. "Spring Sip & Savor has been designed to provide seasoned wine trail guests or first time visitors with a truly memorable experience that will allow them to celebrate spring, indulge their senses and learn more about Leelanau Peninsula wines. Most importantly it is an event that delivers fun.

Visit up to 8 wineries on Saturday from 11 to 5pm, and up to 8 on Sunday from noon to 5pm. Tickets are just $30 and include wine and food pairings at each winery, a limited edition LPVA glass coffee cup and a $10 gift certificate, that can be used at any LPVA winery! Check out images from the 2008 Spring Sip & Savor trail event in this set of photos from the LPVA flickr pool!

Suffering fron economical "whoas"?

2009-04-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

Lately, we've been inundated with news about a sluggish economy, so it's reasonable to expect that some are putting off making plans for a vacation until the future appears a little brighter. But one of the obvious solutions to our current predicament is to stimulate spending. Rather than cancel your holiday plans, why not consider traveling off-season, when the rates are obviously more attractive and a vacation will not deflate your wallet.

Cathead Bay Vacation Properties has three beautiful vacation homes located on the white sandy beach of Cathead Bay at the tip of the Leelnau peninsula that are just begging to be called "home" for your vacation. Rates in May, early June and September are discounted up to 50%, so there's plenty of incentive to consider moving your vacation around a bit to find the right price.

So what's there to do in Northern Michigan in the off season? The answer is plenty. Cathead Bay is renowned for its pristine beach, tranquil waters and privacy, but it's only a hop, skip and a jump from oceans of entertainment options.

Check out some of the cultural events being hosted in the Grand Traverse area in May:

Event: April 26, 2009 at 11am to May 9, 2009 at 4pm
Location: Dennos Museum Center
Street: 1701 E. Front St.
City/Town: Traverse City
http://www.dennosmuseum.org
Contact Info: 231-995-1055
Event Type: Art Dennos Museum Center
From the prestigious Dai Ichi Gallery in New York City, this exhibit features the work of contemporary ceramicists from China and Japan, juxtaposing the themes of Chinese work relationships, social issues and human relationships with the Japanese attention to aesthetics of form, texture, color and materials.

Time: May 1, 2009 from 5pm to 9pm
Location: Downtown Traverse City
City/Town: Traverse City
http://www.downtowntc.com
Contact Info: 231-922-2050
Event Type: Art Downtown Traverse City

Art adorns the walls of Downtown Traverse City during the bi-annual Downtown Art Walk.

Downtown Traverse City invites you to enjoy art, wine, food and music. Experience art from sculpture and oil paintings to glass and watercolor. Prize Drawings at participating stores. Walking maps available at each participating gallery and the Downtown Traverse City office.

Time: May 7, 2009 at 12pm
Location: Misc.
City/Town: Traverse City
http://www.learngreatfoods.com
Contact Info: 815-244-5602
Event Type: Nature Learn Great Foods

Come check out local artisans and foodies in Traverse City with Learn Great Foods. Fine makers of biscotti, potato chips, breadmakers, spirits, wine, beer, and the art of choosing fish and salami, then a cooking demo and a fabulous meal.

Event information provided by MyNorth.com

Morels......

2009-04-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

NORTHERN MICHIGAN (AP) -- Michigan's morel mushroom season is almost here, and experts say it could be a banner year. That is if Mother Nature comes through with some much-needed rain. Some say the early spring snowfall in the state will help increase moisture levels.Morel experts agree cold temperatures that extended into this month could delay the morel season, but it won't hurt the fungus growth. Carl Robinson is the self-proclaimed Mushroom King of Mesick. He predicts 2009 will be one of the best years for morel hunting.

The annual Mesick Mushroom Festival runs May 8 through 10, while the National Morel Mushroom Festival in Boyne City is set for May 14 through 17.
(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Spring blooms up north

2009-04-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

Every spring, the forested hills around Grand Traverse Bay begin to fill up with crowds of eager, determined hunters. But none of them have guns. Most, armed with mesh bags and long sticks, are searching for morel mushrooms – the culinary Holy Grail of the northern woodlands, which attracts literally thousands of gourmands to this area each May. But for others, the quest is more aesthetic: they’re on the lookout for “spring ephemerals” – shy plants that grow, bloom and disappear for a few brief weeks between the end of winter and the start of summer. “That’s when our woods are at their loveliest, at least at ground level,” says nature guide Abby Gartland. “There are places where the whole forest is just flowers, and in a few weeks they’re completely gone. You’d never know they’d ever been there.” Gartland knows her wildflowers, too. She works for the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, one of several Traverse City environmental groups that hold annual “wildflower walks” to popularize these short-lived jewels of the spring woodlands. In fact, a growing number of parks and nature preserves are incorporating such walks into their programming in response to an increase in requests from spring visitors.

Some spring flowers don’t seem so shy – like the huge white blossoms of the large-flowered trillium, the signature wildflower of these northern woodlands. Trilliums (so called because each plant bears only three leaves and a single three-petaled flower) can be an impressive sight when they carpet the spring forest. Their sheer numbers can sometimes conceal smaller, more delicate neighbors like the trailing arbutus, bloodroot and starflower. Other spring ephemerals are hard to hide, even among the showy trilliums. Blue hepaticas and violets, red columbines, yellow trout lilies and bellworts, purple gaywings, delicate pink spring beauties are easily recognized by their bright colors. (And in the case of the latter, by their sweet scent, which fills the woods on warm spring days.) Even some of the smaller white flowers can make an impression by the sheer whimsicality of their shape. Dutchman’s Breeches, for instance, really do look like nothing so much as pairs of upside-down puffy white bloomers. And there’s no hiding the superstars of the spring forest. Northern Michigan’s native orchids -- the pink, yellow and showy lady’s slippers -- are rare standouts in any setting and easily draw attention to themselves. “It’s hard to find another place where you can find such a variety of wildflowers in such a variety of habitats all so close to one another,” said naturalist Cindy Rutherford of the Grand Traverse Conservation District, which administers a 500-acre riverine nature preserve at the southern edge of Traverse City. “I’ve seen flowers here that I’ve never seen together anywhere else.”

May and June are the best months for viewing spring ephemerals in the forests around Traverse City. Usually, upland woodlands break into bloom first because they’re farther from the cooling influence of the cold Lake Michigan waters, while coastal forests can still be in flower for a week or two later. Here are several prime spots for spring wildlflower viewing: Grand Traverse Natural Education Reserve. Located just outside the city on the banks of the Boardman River, this preserve encompasses several miles of mixed forest, wetlands and meadows and is particularly rich in plant, animal and bird specials. The Grand Traverse Conservation District conducts regular spring wildflower walks and publishes a self-guiding brochure for those who would rather explore on their own.

Article from Mike Norton of the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau

Can you really afford to miss the memories this year?

2009-03-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Summer's not far off, but there are still some that are weighing options and wondering what, if anything, they'll do for a vacation this year. Remember that renting a vacation home along one of Michigan's spectacular beaches doesn't have to break the budget. Studies report that on average families that rent homes economize on the extra costs of eating out at area restaurants. So what are you waiting for?

And, I just ask, can you really afford to miss the memories you'll have to show later, like in this video?

Special savings for those who are flexible

2009-03-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Still wondering if the budget will permit an escape to the North this summer? Well, not to worry. Cathead Bay Vacation Properties is offering some incentives for those that can avoid the height of the season.

Book a week-long stay in May or June 2009 prior to April 15, 2009 and take an additional $100.00 off the base rental rate. That's one hundred dollars OFF the already discounted rate for the month of May (50% of our high season rate) and for the first two weeks in June (60% of our high season rate).

But hurry, availability won't last long and this offer expires on April 15, 2009.

Mystery at 'Cathead Bay'

2009-03-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

It rarely rains in Cathead Bay; at least for the ideal vacation, but in the event that a cloud or two assembles over the lake, why not take along a book to while away the hours until the sun pops out again. Al Parker, special journalist to the Record Eagle here in Northern Michigan, wrote this account of Leelanau resident Robert Underhill's new thriller entitled, what else but "Cathead Bay".

"The creation of complex, yet believable, characters is essential to the writing of a successful mystery, according to best-selling author Sue Grafton. In addition to characters and a suitable plot, a good mystery is more than a novel, more than a compelling account of people whose fates engage its readers. It's a way of examining the dark side of human nature, a way to explore the nagging questions of good and evil, guilt and innocence, crime and punishment.

Leelanau County resident Robert Underhill has created some memorable and believable characters in "Cathead Bay," (Delicti Press, 272 pages), a follow-up to his debut mystery, "Strawberry Moon." In "Cathead Bay," Underhill provides a compelling murder -- Silvio Rossi, an internationally famous TV chef, is fatally shish-ka-bobbed on a sword-like skewer during a party at his vacation mansion on majestic Cathead Bay. Immediately, the investigating officers of the Leelanau County Sheriff's Department are under the microscope by predatory media types, both national and local, who insatiably pursue the high-profile story. As the first officer at the murder scene, Deputy Donna Roper leads the investigation, with guidance from Sheriff Hoss Davis. Both know they need to solve this murder quickly.
But the problem is that there are few, if any, clues. And the party guests all seem to have solid, or semi-solid, alibis.

Locals will recognize many familiar scenes in Underhill's page-turner. Leelanau landmarks such as Art's Tavern, Barb's Bakery, Tom's Market, Scott's Harbor Grill, Steffen's Market and The Homestead are all represented. For roughly the first 200 pages, readers remain unsure about the killer's identity. But the last quarter of the book proves somewhat disappointing, especially when the scene shifts from northern Michigan to the Italian Riviera. And the question of justice for the slaying remains unanswered.

Despite this, mystery fans should take the time to enjoy "Cathead Bay," if only for the local flavor".